Apparatus for purifying water.



No. 646,93l. Patented Apr; 3, 1900]. J. B. GREER. APPARATUSv FOB PUBIFYING WATER.

(Application filed. May 15, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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No. s4s,9s|-. Patentd Ap r. a, 1900. J. B. amaze.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING WATER.

(Application filed May 15, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m: nonms PETERS co. Pnoyoumu. msumamn, 0 cv STATES PATENT Orrin.

JAMES BOYD GR EER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING WATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,931, dated April 3, 1900.

Application filed May 15, 1899. Serial No. 716,904. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that .1, JAMES BOYD GREER, of

Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of,

Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for Purifying Water, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for use in the purification of water for mechanical purposes, and particularly for use in steam-boilers.

It is well known that nearly all waters found in nature are more or less impure and contain many substances which if allowed to enter the boiler interfere greatly with the economical generation of steam and are destructive to the apparatus. .Such impurities may for present purposes be classed under three general heads-'first, scale-forming substances, among which may be mentioned the carbonates, sulphates, and nitratesof calcium and magnesium, silica, alumina, oxide of iron, &c.; second, corrosive substances, which attack the metal of the boiler and piping, causing pitting or honeycombing and tending to dangerously weaken their structure, and among these are free acids, the sulphates of iron and aluminium, the chlorides of calcium and magnesium, &c.; third, substances which tend to cause foaming and priming in the boiler and which include, among other things, the carbonate and sulphate of sodium, the chlorides of sodium, calcium, and magnesium, and various vegetable and organic impurities.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an economical and efficient apparatus for disposing of or neutralizing such impurities in feed-water before it enters the boiler, and thus to prevent their interfering with the economical generation of steam or the durability of the structure; and the invention consists in the matters herein set forth, and particularlypointed outin the appended claims.

In my improved apparatus the free acid or other corrosive substance present in the water is iirst neutralized by the introduction of asuitable reagent-such as a hydrate of lime, soda-ash, or analogous substances-at a point as near the source of supply as is practicable,

so as to, relieve the pipes and other apparatus a suitable reagent, which, if the impurities are of a scale-forming class, may be a solution of carbonate of soda or sodaash or of trisodium or di-sodium phosphate or sodium. hydrate or any other chemical reagent capable of precipitating the particular scale-forming substance present or which, in the case of alkaline impurities, may be a nitrate of silver or lead, barium chloride, tannic acid, or other chemical capable of precipitating the particnlar alkali present. By this treatment the impurities previously held in solution will be changed to solids held in suspension in a light flocculent-form capable of being entirely separated out and removed by a filtration, which forms the last step in the process and which leaves the Water perfectly clear and in such a condition of purity that it may be fed into the boiler and efficiently used for steam generation without increasing the fuel consumption or deleteriously affecting the structure ofthe boiler. The entire process will furthermore be understood as carried on continuously during the flow of the water from the point of supply to the boiler, and the necessary reagents for precipitating the impurities are introduced in liquid form and in such manner that their amount can be varied from time to time as tests may show to be necessaryto complete purification without waste of chemicals without in any way interrupting the continuity of the process.

In carrying out my improved process thus generally set forth I employ an improved apparatus, one form of which is hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general view, in side elevation, of a water-purifying apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of the filter employed. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing the manner in which the chemical reagent is loo in the filter.

I ash or the like.

supplied to the heateraround the outlet-pipe. Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the float device which antomatically regulates the flow of the reagent in accordance with the specific gravity of the water as it leaves the filter. Fig. 6 is a top plan detail of one of the strainer-heads used Fig. 7 is a sectional side elevation thereof.

Referring to said drawings, A designates a tank, which is supplied with feed-water through a pipe on or otherwise. Adjacent to this tank is asmall tank B, which incase the water contains free acid or other corrosive properties will be supplied with a neutralizing reagent, such as a solution of lime or soda- The tank is provided with an outlet valve or cock I), by which the flow of the reagent into the tank A will be regulated in accordance with the flow of the feedwater. From the tank A the feed-water is conducted by the force of gravity or by any suitable pumping machinery (not herein illustrated) to'a heater 0, which is desirably and herein shown as made in the form of what is known as an open heater or one in which WVith this form of heater it is obviously necessary to prevent the heater from being flooded, and for this reason the supply of feed-water to the heateris regulated by means of a float c, which is connected with a valve 0 in the supply-pipe 0 leading to the heater,

so that when the water in the bottom of the heater rises beyond a certain predetermined depth said valve will tend to reduce or cut off the supply. It will, however, be understood that neither this device nor the heater itself is of my invention, both being old, per se, and well known to those familiar with this art.

Adjacent to the heater 0 is a tank D for containing a suitable reagent to precipitate such impurities as are not thrown down by the mere heating of the water. In the case of scale-forming impurities this reagent may be, for example, tri-sodiu m or di-sodium phosphate or soda-ash or the like, or in the case of alkaline impurities it may be nitrate of silver or lead or barium chloride or other reagents suitable for this purpose. A pipe (1,

controlled by a valve d, leads from this tankinto the lower part of the heater, and to insure the complete impregnation of the water by the reagent the pipe d is shown as discharging at a point close to the outlet-pipe 0' of the heater and, desirably, as terminating in a ring d which is perforated on its upper inner surface, so that the reagent will be diffused thoroughly in the outflowing current of water. heater to a filtering apparatus E, which in this instance is what is known as a pressurefilter, the pressure being herein shown as supplied by a pump F, connected in the line between the heater and filter. Provision is also made for reheating the feed-water before itreaches the filter in cases where the character of the water is such as to render this additional treatment desirable. This provision consists, as herein shown, in a steamjacket G, which incloses a portion of the pipe 0 and is supplied with live steam through a pipe g, that portion of the pipe C within the jacket being desirably made in the form of a copper coil 0 so as to render the reheating action of the live steam aseffective as possible. This reheating of the Water serves to greatly hasten the chemical action of the ingredients introduced from tank D and insures a complete precipitation before the water enters'the filter. This reheater is desirable not only because of the advantage resulting from the fact that the water is brought to a proper temperature for introduction into the boiler, but also by reason of the fact that it so hastens the chemicals in their reactions that a considerable saving in space is effected, the space for the location of the apparatus being in many instances exceedingly limited. A pipe .0 may be led out of the pipe 0 to the tank D to supply hot water for dissolving the reagent placed in said tank.

From the filter E the water is conducted off to the boiler or other desired point of discharge through a pipe H, and the water in this pipe should be practically pure consid ered with reference to its use in steam-boilers if the process has been properly carried on and the chemical solution supplied to the amount necessary to fully precipitate the impurities and enable them to be all filtered out. To automatically insure the exact working of the apparatus in this respect, I have as a further improvement introduced at a suitable point, desirably in the outlet-pipe H, a regulatorI, by which the flow of reagent from the -tank D will be governed in accordancewith the specific gravity of the water coming from the filter. As herein shown, this regulator consists of a chamber or casing connected inthe line of the discharge-pipe and containing a float I, secured to the end of the radial arm 1;, which is attached to the shaft 7;, that projects out through a stuffing-box v1 and has a second radial arm "i secured to its outer end. A cord J is attached to the end of this latter arm and is conducted over suitable guide-pulleys and attached to its other end to the lever d of a valve D in the outlet-pipe d of the tank D, the pull exerted on this valvelever by the cord J being opposed by'a yielding resistance, such as the spring J, so that The outlet-pipe 0 leads from the IIO as the tension on the cordis varied the position of the valve-lever, and consequently the amount of valve-opening, will be varied correspondingly. The operation of this regulator depends upon the fact that the specific gravity of the water increases with the amount of impurities held in solution, so that if precipitation has not been secured to the requisite degree the specific gravity of the water leaving the filter will be greater than it should be with a corresponding increase in the buoyancy of the float and with a consequent variation in the tension on the cord J As the specific gravity of the water increases the valve D will be opened to admit an increased supply of reagent to the heater, and thus increase the precipitation to the amount necessary to bring the water to the desired degree of purity. A pointer 1 secured to the shaft 71 and reading against agraduatingscale '5 is also provided to enable the attendant to readily note the condition of the water at any time. A perforated diaphram i in the regulator-casing separates the float from the main circuit of the discharge and prevents its being infiu enced by such current, While permitting the changes in the specific gravity of the water. 7

Provision is also herein shown for chemically determining the condition of the water, as follows: K designates a glass connected at its upper and lower ends with the dischargepipe H and provided with valves 70, by which it can be completely out off from the latter, and also with cocks it, that enable the water remaining in the tube when it is so cut off from the discharge-pipe to be drawn down to any desired extent. A buret-te or graduated tube K for holding a standard solution of the precipitating reagent is connected with the tube K, at the upper end of the latter, and a cock is inserted in the connection, so that any desired amount of the solution in the burette maybe allowed to flow through said tube K. When it is desired to test the condition of the water passing in the dischargepipe, the valves 76 are closed and the water confined in the glass tube K drawn by opening the cock until a known quantity remains, as may be determined by graduations or the like on the glass. A little of the standard solution is then allowed to flow into the tube K from the burette and will cause an immediate precipitation if the water is still impure. WVhen this precipitation has settled, leaving the water clear again, a little more of the standard solution is introduced, and if the water is still impure will cause a further precipitation, which is again allowed to settie, and this operation is repeated until no further precipitation occurs. The total quantity of the solution thus found necessary to complete the precipitation of the impurities in the known quantity of water contained in the tube K will then indicate the amount or number of grains of impurities per liter or gallon still held in solution in the water and ueath the partition.

will consequently apprise the attendant as to whether and how much to increase the quantity or strength of the precipitating reagent supplied through tank D.

The filter shown herein as constituting a part of the apparatus for carrying out my at a short distance within the filter-body in a distributing or spraying nozzle H. Near the lower end of the filter-body the latter is provided with a horizontal partition 6, within which are seated a plurality of drain-nozzles e, forming outlet-passages for the passage of the water from the filter-bed'to the space be- The drain -nozzles e are of novel construction, each consisting of a hollow body E, (of inverted-bell shape, preferably,) provided with a removable end cap 6 apertured to permit the ingress of water,.a diaphragme perforated to permit the escape of water, a filling of filtering ma terial etbetween the end cap and diaphragm, and a tubular stem or standard e connected with the lower side of the body, so as to communicate with its interior and seated at its lower end in an aperture in the partition e. The apertures in the end cap 6 have the form of narrowv slits e", which increase in width or are of increasing cross-sectional area from the upper surface of the cap downwardly through the latter, so that any grains of filtering material which are small enough to enter the slits will drop through into the body of the nozzle and not lodge within the slits to obstruct the passage of water therethrough. The discharge-pipe 1-1 of the filter communicates with the space below the partition e, while the bed of filtering material occupiesthe principal part of the space above the partition, as shown clearly in'the drawings. When ,as shown in the present instance,

a pair of filters are connected in parallel, the said branch pipes will be united to provide a cross connection extending between the inletpipes. By reason of the peculiar interconnection between the two filters cooperating with the supply-pipes E and outlet-pipes H another and important ad vantage resultsnamely, the possibility of washing out the filter-bed of either filter with filtered water from the other, and this without interrupting the operation of supplying Water to the boiler or other point of consumption, thus rendering the plant independent of an outside supply introduced through the pipe L orits equivalent. Such washing operation may be pertoo formed as follows: Assuming that it is desired to wash out the right-hand filter of the pair, the operator will first throw it out of operation by closing the cook a, controlling its inlet, and the cock o controlling its out let. If new the cook a, controlling the 4 idesi interconnecting i e e and thence b 1 wa r p 3 y of the pipes e and H through both the agitating-nozzles e and the drain-nozzles 6. Ohviously by adjusting the cooks e e of the left-hand filter the proportion of water which is thrown through the right-hand filter and that permitted to pass on bythe main outlet may be determined at will. It will be further obvious that the left-hand filter may be cleansed in exactly the same manner by simply reversing the order of opening and closing the several cocks. By thus providing valved cross connections between the two filtering vessels it will be observed that the hot chemically-treated water of either vessel may be employed to wash out the other vessel, the advantages of which are not only that the cooling of the filtering vessel that would follow on the introduction of cold water from some extraneous source is entirely avoided, (and this is a great advantage, as in many districts the filters are required to be washed out frequently during each day and the generating capacity of the boiler would be materially'affected by theintroduction of cold water from the filters,) butalso because of the fact that hot chemically-treatedv water will more readily dissolve the deposits on the quartz-sand composing the filter-beds,whereas cold water would tend to fix the deposits and would therefore require to be passed through the filter much more violently than the hot water to effect a thorough cleaning.

Means are provided for reversing the direc- 'nular pipes E are arranged at intervals through a pipe e throughout the height of the bed of filtering material, each provided at frequent intervals throughout its length with outlet-tubes e arranged porcupine fashion. Each annular pipe is provided with an inlet-pipe 6 extenddrain-nozzles and annular agitating-pipes simultaneously. The water thus forced through the filter-bed passes. out through the inletpipe H,which latter is provided with a branch discharge-pipe H the latter being provided with a suitable'cock 6, whereby it may be closed except when cleaning the filter.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an apparatus for-purifying water, the

combination of a water-supply pipe, a filter connected thereto, a heating and precipitating apparatus interposed in the supply-pipe between the source of supply and the filter, means for introducing a chemical reagent in solution into the supply-pipe between the heating and precipitating apparatus and the filter, and a second heater interposed between the means for introducing the reagent and the filter, whereby the action of thereagent will be hastened and the water supplied to the filter made hot, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with a source of water-supply and a filter through which said water is passed, of a tank for holding a chemical solution, a valved pipe discharging from said tank into the water passing to the filter, a chamber through which the water flows from the filter, a float in said chamber, and connections between said fioat and the-valve of the valved passage, whereby the amount of valve-opening is automatically regulated in accordance with the specific gravity of the filtered water;

3. The combination with a water-purifying apparatus, of a graduated glass tube connected at both its upper and lower ends by valved passages, with the passage vleading from the purifying apparatus and through which a portion of the water from the puri fying apparatus normally flows when the valves are opened, an elevated burette connected with said tube by a valved passage, and cocks at the upper and lower ends of the tube, substantially as described.

4. In a water-purifyin g apparatus,the combination of a source of water-supply, a filter through which said water is passed, a tank for introducing a purifying substance into the water on its way to the filter, a valved passage discharging from said tank into the wa ter, a chamber through which the water from the filter flows, a device in said chamber actuated by the variance in the specific gravity of the filtered water, and connections between this device and the valve of the valved passage whereby the amount of valve-opening is automatically regulated in accordance with the specific gravity of the filtered water.

.In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature hereto, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 2d day of November, A. D. 1898.

JAMES BOYD GREER.

WVitnesses:

HENRY W. CARTER, M. E. MARSH.

ICC 

